North East Dialogue Forum urges for commission of NSA review committee
Source: IT News
Imphal, December 27 2018:
In the aftermath of the unfair detention of Kishorechandra Wangkhem under NSA and custodial killing of Abdul Graffer, the North East Dialogue Forum in a press statement has demanded to establish Commission of three independent experts chair by a retired Justice and review the implementation NSA in Manipur for the few decades and feasibility of using NSA against Mr.Kishorechandra.
The Forum also urged to communicate to CO of 26 Assam Rifle, Thoubal District, in Manipur to take the suspected perpetrators soldier led by a Major to the Thoubal Police station for official formalities and legal procedure at the earliest.
It also urged the DGP of Manipur and SP of Thoubal to submit a report against the torture and custodial or extrajudicial execution of Md.Abdul Gaffar immediately to the National Human Right Commission.
Besides the forum also drew the attention of the government for inviting the UN Special Rapporteur on Promotion and Protection of the right to freedom of opinion and Expression, Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Assembly and Association to Manipur for independent report of the status of the implementation of UN guide line on promotion of Freedom of Opinion and Expression and also the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and other cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment of many people especially Md.Abdul Gaffar.
Kishorechandra Wangkhem, a Journalist from Keishamthong Moirangningthou Leirak was charged under the National Security Act (NSA) because of his comment against the ruling party which was not acceptable.
He was arrested on Nov 21st 2018 and released on bail on 26th November.
However, he was again rearrested on 27th November on the ground that Mr.Kishorechandra might cause threat to the national security.
The comments from the journalists and public are divided by supporting his arrest by the Govt and on the other hand questioning the decision of the authority in the case of Mr.Kishorechandra.
The implementation of NSA to protect the national security in Manipur need to be reviewed by a team of experts from the perspective of right of freedom of opinion and speech, Freedom of Assembly and Association and human right defender.
Further it is very important to review the situation of human right of the prisoners in the Sajiwa Jail.
Md.Abdul Gaffar the S/O Md Babumacha of Usoipokpi village under the Lilong Police Station was forcefully arrested at 2:30AM of 20th December 2018 by a combine force of Police commando attached to Thoubal Police station and 26th Assam Rifle.
Arrest memo was not issued.
The identity of security forces were not disclosed at the time of arrest.
The forces come in two TATA vehicle (407) and two white Gypsy (one belongs to police commando and another belongs to Assam Rifle).
Md.Abdul Gaffar was suspected to be tortured to declare himself as a member of Underground (UG) but he perhaps refused to accept the order which led to continue the torture and lastly he was killed by the combine forces.
We suspected that such extrajudicial execution of Mr.Abdul Gaffar was organized by the concerned security forces involved in the execution in the larger human right environment of the present investigation of 1528 cases of Extrajudicial Execution by the CBI under AFSPA.
It is important for all of us to remind that the Army and para Military under AFSPA were called by the Govt of Manipur to assist the state civil Authority to maintain law and order.
It is reported that the soldiers of the Assam Rifle involved in the execution refused intentionally to attend the police station of Thoubal for interrogation.
The questions which arise are that did these soldiers take the consent of the DC or SP for such kind of operation, who commanded the operation? According to the comment of the members of community the forces were led by a Major of Assam Rifle.
The concerned Lilong Police Station was not informed by the combined forces.
Now the question is who gave the order to conduct the operation.
Therefore, full investigation against 26th Assam Rifle and polices involved in the operation including chain of command in 26th Assam Rifle.
The arrest of Md.Abdul Gaffar is the violation of Supreme Court Judgement against AFSPA in 1997 which most of the time referred as the 10 commandment by the AR and Army.
The Extrajudicial Execution of Md.Abdul Gaffar is suspected to be another level of intervention of counter terrorism strategy of the security forces under AFSPA, the NEDF statement said.
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